11.09.06 – By Sean Ocampo: This weekend the featured bout of Marco Antonio Barrera and Rocky Juarez will be co-featured by another great championship match-up between current WBC and Ring Magazine Super Batamweight Champion Israel “Magnifico” Vazquez (40-3-0 29 KOs) and WBO Batamweight champion Jhonny Gonzalez (33-4-0 28 KOs) . This match-up will determine who the best at 122..
Israel Vazquez, the hard punching Aztec Warrior, will put his titles on the line against Gonzalez. This is Vazquez’s second defense of his WBC title since winning it against the tough Oscar “Chololo” Larios December of last year. Vazquez once held the IBF and WBC at same time but due to problems with IBF his title was declared vacant. He’s currently training at the famed Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California together with hall of fame trainer Freddie Roach. The hard nosed fighter from Mexico, City has served as a sparring partner with 3 division champion and current pound for pound great Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao in different occasions. He hopes to get past Gonzalez and move up in weight to fight marquee names including former sparring partner Manny Pacquiao.
Jhonny Gonzalez is coming off two big wins against highly regarded WBO Super Flyweight Champ Fernando “Cochulito” Montiel and former two time world champion Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson. He currently holds the WBO Batamweight title and hopes to become a two division champion by beating fellow Mexican Israel Vazquez. He captured the title from Thai world champion Ratanachai Sor Vorapin by a devastating 7th round TKO last year. Gonzalez, a fighter who lost his first two professional fights, will try to beat Vazquez by using his height and reach advantage.
Both fighters have a combined 57 knockouts in 80 total fights. With that kind of knockout power both fighters possesses it is going to be fireworks right from the opening bell. Expect debilitating classic Mexican body shots and toe-to-toe action from these two. This fight will be a sure candidate for Fight of the Year honors.
With the departure of great fighters like Manny Pacquiao, Oscar Larios, Paulie Ayala etc. in the division, Vazquez and Gonzalez will try to rekindle the flame the division once had. Expect non-stop pressure from both fighters and I don’t see this fight going the distance. This fight just adds more excitement to the boxing card GBP will offer us this weekend.